Temple Trail - St. George, Utah

Trail Description

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The temple trail was used between 1871 to 1877 to bring timber from Mt. Trumbull, Arizona, to build the LDS Temple in St. George, Utah. These rugged, dedicated pioneers hauled more than 1,000,000 board feet of timber across this rough, dirt road. They didn't get to use fuel-injected ATV's, they had to use horse-drawn wagons for the 80 mile trip.

The wagons were very large, and when loaded with wood were too big for wooden bridges, so rock was laid by hand to build up the road across washes and small ravines. The trip involved canyons, washes, sand, and lots of rocks. No doubt it took everything these pioneers had. There are still places where you can see the ruts worn into the rocks by repeated trips.

Those involved had been given an assignment to build a Temple, a task they took very seriously and viewed as a sacred duty. In many cases they built and finished the Temple before they built their own homes! It was an incredible undertaking, and one they finished in just six short years (considering the harsh conditions, incredible scope of the project, incredible quality and detail of the construction, and complete absence of electricity and modern tools).

The Temple is still used 6 days a week and is a centerpiece in St. George, which has grown more than those pioneers could possibly imagine.

The trail can be accessed from Warner Valley or south of Hurricane, and takes you south through Black Rock Canyon, which is the most difficult part of the ride. The well-known Honeymoon Trail is nearby.